Here's How to Remove Blackheads At Home Safely

Just like in most facials after you cleanse the skin, you'll want to introduce some heat. (But be aware: Marino noted that this step is "not recommended for anyone with melasma or hyperpigmentation.") This can help soften the pores and make it easier to extract the debris perched up inside.

You can buy a ready-made steamer like the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Pro Facial Steamer ($159) to make the process easy, or you can go the more cost-effective route. Simply boil hot water on the stove, throw some tea in the water to amp up the spa-like sensorial experience, and "hover over the pot with a towel over your head to trap in steam for five minutes," she says. "Don't do any longer or it can cause transepidermal water loss and dehydration."

The first rule of thumb to extracting your blackheads "with caution and care," as Marino put it, is to step away from the pore extraction tool. "Put down the knife — leave digging devices to the professionals to avoid potential permanent scarring or pigmentation issues and injury," she says. "Use clean fingers only."

Instead, wrap your finger in tissue or rounds like these Solimo Cotton Rounds ($3), and then gently (!) pinch the skin together and press upward. Press only in the direction you want the congestion to go (if you're pressing down onto the skin, "you're making things worse, and potentially spreading bacteria under the skin").

You'll also want to leave aggravated or superstubborn acne alone. "Hard, angry, or underground is no go."

Next, and to "keep [the] face free from cellular build up and environmental sludge," you'll want to cleanse the skin. Marino recommends a face wash with light exfoliating acids like the Skinbetter Oxygen Infusion Wash ($48) to keep pores clean.

Stay away from overly drying ingredients, like benzoyl peroxide, since overuse can create a rebound effect and kick sebum production into overdrive.

Finally, you'll want to cool the skin. Immediately after the at-home extractions, Marino recommended a facial roller device. "The Skinny Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller ($69) is ideal for immediate inflammation reduction and pain," she says. Then, in the next few days, reach for a hydrating, calming, and soothing serum like the iS Clinical HydraCool Serum ($99) to address any redness that may pop up afterward.

Kelsey Castañon is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and content strategist with more than 13 years of experience in publishing. She is currently the senior content director at POPSUGAR, where you can find her stockpiling (and reporting on) everything from skin care to wine..